Folding chair



Feb. 9, 1932. J. slLvERMAN 1,844,077

' FOLDING CHAIR Filed April 27, 1929 @ma/Wm Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITE STATES JOSEPH sILvnnMAiv, or. CHICAGO,v ILLINOIS ist?? FOLDING CHAIR j Application led April 27,

This invention relates to folding chairs, more particularly to folding chairs of the type more fully disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 180,701, iiled April 4, 1927, now Patent No. 1,736,804, dated November 26, 1929, and its object is the provision of a generally improved vand simplified construction for reducing the upper ends of the folding legs and for improving the finish and increasing the strength of the upper reduced ends of the foldingl legs of the chair.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the chair of my copending application above referred to, showing the improved construction of the present invention at the upper ends of the folding legs;

line 3 3 of Figure 1 and Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken just inside one ofthe sides of the chair frame and showing the chair in folded position; d

Figure 3 is a detail section, taken onthe Figure 4is a fragmentary detail per-spec*- tive view in section, takenron the line of Figure 1.

Referring tothe drawings, the chair shown comprises generally an inverted U-shaped frame 10, having parallel sides 12, closed at the top at 13 and open at their lower ends at 14.V The lower free ends 14 of the lsides of the frame form one pair of legs of the chair. d

A pair of folding legs v16 are pivoted between their ends at 17 between and to the opposite sides 12 of the frame 10. A vseat 18 fits between the sides 12`of the frame 10 and has fixed pivotal connection at each of its opposite sides with the sides 12 at '19. The seat 18 also has sliding pivotal connection through bars or links and a suitable rod 21 with the upper ends of the pivoted legs 16. The lower leg forming ends 14 of the sides 12 and the legs 16 maybe braced crosswise or transversely, by cross braces 23 and 24. rlhe lower ends of the legs 14 and 16 are, preferably, provided with feet 26, such as, for erample, more fully disclosed in my copend- 1929. Serial No. 358,486.

ing application, Serial No. 248,575, filedJ anuary'2k3, 1928. i y Theseat frame is,.preferably, formed of angular stock with the depending flange 28 disposed substantially vertically when the f':E

chair is unfolded for use`,'asv shown in Figure 1 and the seatproper 29 Vis secured in the frame by a suitable means 30. One of the I bars orlinlrs is disposed on theins'ide of each side of the seat frame and, preferably, l

, up in the plane of the depending flange 28.

At one end, each bar 20 is offset at'32 with the offset end lying againstthe seat frame flange 28 and secured theretothrough the pivotal connections 19. The oppositeends of the bars 20 are turned inwardly and-secured at 34 tothe iange 28. Y f

.The frame 10, legs 16 and vcross braces 23 `and 24 are, preferably, formed' of the stock which as best illustrated in, Figurek 3, is formed of sheet metal, with a 4central flat web portion 40 and opposite margins rolled circular section, as indicated at 41 and 42. The opposite sides of the flat median portion 40 are offset at '43 forming angular seats 44 andthe free edges of the rolled margins l41`and 42 overlap the opposite ,sides of the `to tubular'form and preferably offgenerally frame andthrough longitudinal slots 46'in f the bars 20. Outwardly of the bars 20 and between these bars and the adjacent depending flanges of the chair frame, the rod 21 at each side of the chair is offset at 48 and turned generally at right angles into the tubular extensions 41 of the legs 16.V

rlhe opposite rear corners of the depending flange 28 of the seat frame are provided Awith notches 50 for receiving the upper ends of the legs 16 so that these legs, as well as the seat and braces 52 m'ay all lie substantially within the plane of the frame when i y the chair is folded.

To further permit swinging of the upper ends of the legs 16 into thenotches 50, as well as folding of the seat and legs 16 into substantially the plane of the frame 10, the upper ends of the legs 16 are reduced. The

details of the chair have been described some-V what in detail, in order to bring outl clearly the purpose of the reduced upper ends of the legs 16 and it is this reduced construction of the upper ends of the legs 16 with which the present invention is especially concerned. The legs 16 are formed lwith both rolled margins 41 and 42 extending to the upper ends of the llegs andrwith the'upper ends formed as shown in Figure 3, these upper ends are placed in a suitable die, which is then operated to crush one rolled margin as, for example, the margin 42, down upon the other rolled 'margin 41. Either the end of the rod :the margin 41 simultaneously with the crushing of the margin 42 thereon. The crushing is, preferably, such as will `:keep the crushed margin 42 within the connes of the diameter of the margin 41, as shown in Figure 4and -preferably to impart a rounded contour to the surfaces 56 and 58. The crushing action produces, in effect, a double fold and the free edge 60 of the crushedxmargin l42 is, preferably, turned in against the margin 41 or otherwise concealed so that `there vwill be no rough or shear edges exposed outwardly.

I find that this crushed formation at the upper ends of the legs V16 increases the strength of these upper ends and, at the same time, provides the reduction forpermitting the upper endsY to Vfold into the notches 50 and the seat and legs 16 into substantially the plane of the frame 10. With this crushed formation, there are noV shear edgesexposed outwardly and all exposed surfaces arenicely rounded with the elimination of any danger of tearing delicate clothes thereon. The crushing also further grips the 'free margins of the rolled portions 40 within the angular offset portions 43 and this is advantageous at the upper ends of the legs 16 because it is in these upper ends that the ends of the rod 21 are secured. TheN curvature at (Figure 1) is, preferably, relativelyblunt and rounded.

.The further details of the chair and the operation thereof are disclosed in my cepending application, Serial No. 180,701, filed April 4, 1927, now Patent No. 1,7 36,804, dated November 26, 1929, and above referred to, and in view of the illustrations in the drawings, the description which has already been made will not be repeated here.

I claim 1,l As an article of manufacture, a leg for folding chairs comprising a flat plate forming a fiat web with the opposite margins of saidweb offset to form angular depressions andthe opposite margins of the plate outwardly of said angular depressions being integral with said web and rolled to substantially circular section, the free edges of said rolled margins being seated in said angular depressions and overlapping the opposite sides of said web, one rolled margin continuing of substantially circular section to the upper end of the leg' and the upper end of they other rolled margin being crushed together and upon said first margin.

2. As an article of manufacture, a leg for folding chairs comprising a fiat plate formino' a flat web with the opposite margins of said web offset to form angular depressions and the opposite margins of the plate outwardly of said angular depressions being integral with said web and rolled to substantially circular section, the free edges of said rolled margins being seated in said angular depressions and overlapping the opposite sides Aof said web, one rolled margin continuing of substantially circular vsectionto the upper end of the leg and the upper end of the other rolled margin being crushed together and upon said first margin, anda rod secured in the upper end of said first margin.` Y

3. As an article of manufacture, a leg for folding chairs comprising a flat plate forminga fiat web with lthe opposite margins of said web oset for forming angular depressions andthe'opposite margins of the plate outwardly'of said angular depressions being integral with said web and rolled to substantially circular section, the'free edges of said rolled margins being seated in said angular depressions V*and overlapping the opposite sides of said web, one rolled margin extending of substantially circular section to the upper end of the leg and the upper end of the other rolled margin being crushed together and upon said first margin, the lower end of said crushed margin tapering from the rolled margin upon which it is crushed and toward and rounded bluntly into the opposite rolled margin.

4. As an article of manufacture, a leg for foldingchairs comprising a flat plate forms ing a flat web with the opposite margins of said web offset for forming angular depressions and the opposite margins of the plate outwardly of said angular depressions being4 integral with said web and rolled to substantially circular section, the free edges of said rolled margins being seated in said angular depressions and overlapping the opposite sides of said web, one rolled margin extending of substantially circular section to the upper end of the leg and the upper end of the other rolled margin being crushed together and upon said flrst margin, the lower end of said crushed margin tapering from the rolled margin upon which it is Crushed and toward and rounded bluntly into the opi posite rolled margin, and the crushed upper end being confined between sides of the eX- tending substantially circular section at the upper end of the leg with the crushed margin having a free edge concealed and the sides of the crushed margin being rounded.

5. In combination, a chair frame, a seat pivoted therein, a pair of legs pivoted to Jche frame and connected withV the seat, and means providing connections whereby said legs and seat may be folded into substantially the fil.) 

